A Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra on the bow of Team GB’s boat at the Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony … [+]
Samsung has been involved with the Olympics for years, but Paris 2024 seems to be a personal best for the company. First, the company designed a stunningly beautiful special edition Galaxy Z Flip 6 to hand out to all the athletes. The special edition had gold trim (well, it wasn’t supposed to be bronze) and a unique logo. But what stands out is how the company got involved with the opening ceremony.
As we all know, this ceremony was unlike any other in Olympic history. This year, it wasn’t just the stadiums, but the River Seine, which runs through Paris, showcasing the city in an entirely new way, from bridges coming alive with vibrant red tricolor smoke to giant metal horses galloping across the water.
But filming around Paris presented unique challenges, and Samsung’s response was designed to bring fans closer than ever before.
A special edition Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 was presented to each athlete.
The company brought about 250 of its flagship smartphones, the Galaxy S24 Ultra, and placed them strategically along the route, including as part of the 85 boats that will carry 10,500 athletes down the river.
While outdoor broadcasts will always be tense, additional coverage from content received on mobile phones has ensured additional footage, recorded in high definition and broadcast over 5G.
The phones were small enough not to disturb fans watching on the banks of the Seine and discreet enough so that players would not be intimidated by full-size broadcast cameras.
Oh, and there was one other benefit: it was waterproof. If there’s one thing you know about the Olympics, even if you didn’t watch it, it rained almost the entire time. So while some of the screens along the river looked a bit blurry at times, the Samsung phone was completely unaware of the rain pattering down on the spectators.
PARIS, FRANCE – JULY 26: During the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on July 26, … [+]
This isn’t an overnight effort: the company claims it conducted 360 days of testing to ensure the phone could deliver good content.
Perhaps the Olympics were a driving force behind Samsung’s sales. James Kitt, vice president and head of Samsung’s UK and Ireland mobile division, said: “We’ve seen demand for our new wearables, including the Galaxy Watch Ultra, grow 37% year-on-year in the UK. With the Olympics and Paralympics underway and a summer of sport halfway through, people’s attention is turning to health and wellness.”
Kitt also said sales of the company’s most intimate new device, the Galaxy Ring, are off to a “strong start” and that the popularity of its latest large folding phone, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, has “increased 15%.”
The company says it will also use the same network and hardware to stream the sailing competition in Marseille, and will install terminals on all boats taking part in the competition.
Releasing a new product just days before the Olympics is a happy occasion for any company, and Samsung has made the most of the opportunity.
